Judge Bars East St. Louis School Takeover

Related Tags:

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP)- The East St. Louis School District 189 board has obtained a restraining order barring the Illinois State Board of Education from taking over the district.

In issuing the order Monday, St. Clair County Associate Judge Stephen Rice said it was unconstitutional to remove an elected board. He also said the board had not been given due process and the school code used for the removal was being selectively applied.

The order is in effect until another hearing is held. A hearing date was not included in the order.

Illinois attorney general spokesman Scott Mulford says the office accepts the ruling. There was no school board official available for comment.

The Illinois State Board of Education last month announced the ousting of the board for chronic academic underperformance.